Display-easel.



Nb. 870,914. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

J. E. TWITG HELL.

DISPLAY EASEL. APP LIOATION IILBD MAR. 15, 1905.

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Q/vitnaaoeo No. 870,914. PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

- J. E. TWITGHELL.

DISPLAY EASBL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No'. 8'70,9l4 PATENTBD NOV. 12, 1907. J. B. TWITCHELL.

DISPLAY EASEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.15, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. TWITOHELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO J. B. TIMBERLAKE & SONS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

DISPLAY-EASEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed March 15, 1905- Serial No. 250,216.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs E. TWITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display-Easels, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to stands or supports for dishes and other articles, particularly those of the class referred to as display easels and largely used for exhibition purposes.

It has for its object to provide an article of this class which can have its parts so adjusted as that it can be used for displaying or supporting either of several styles of articles, or either of several articles differing from each other in size.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective of a holder or display easel embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the parts arranged as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective of the holder or easel when its parts are adjusted to another position. Fig. 4 is a side view of the same. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the easel or holdershowing the parts in their extreme upper position of adjustment. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same. Fig. 7shows a modified form of the easel. Fig. 8 is a side view of the device in Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 show the same article-with the parts adjusted to another position, Fig. 9 being a perspective view and Fig.' 10 a side elevation.

With reference to the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, it will be seen that it is constructed of two main ele ments respectively indicated by the letters A and B. The element A is at the rear and is the part adapted to bear against and support the back of a dish or other article. Preferably I form it by bending a single section of Wire so as to have the vertical legs a, a, with the cross loop or curved bar a at the top, the short arms a inclined to the legs a and extending from the bend at a, the curved parts or bends a, and the arms a extending forward from these latter bends. At the ends of the arms a there are in the device in Figs. 1 to 6 eyes or loops a. The other element or main part B of the easel or holder is also preferably formed from a single piece or section of wire shaped to have the side bars b, b, joined at the front by a cross bar or curved arm b the wire being bent between this cross part and the side bars I), b, so as to provide downwardly extending loops or bends b. At the ends of the arms b, b, there are formed eyes or loops 12 The latter encircle the wire forming the rear element A, and the aforesaid loops or eyes a, on said part A encircle the side bars I), b of the element B.

Upon reference to the drawings it will be seen that the two elements can be slipped in relation to each other from one to another of several positions. When they are so placed as to have the eyes b of the front element engaging with the element A at the loops or bends a, or points near the same, the parts a, a of the back supporting element A are approximately vertical and the loop or cross bar a is thrown relatively forward toward the front cross bar b At such time the easel is adapted to hold a small dish or other article, as shown in Figs 1 and 2. But articles of different dimensions or greater weigth can be supported to better advantage by adjusting the elements of the easel to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this case the eyes b are slipped up along the wire of the part A, around the bend at a and along the arm (1 until they reach the bends at 0. the eyes a" slipping correspondingly back along the side bars I). When it is desired to hold a dish or other article in still another position the eyes 6 can be slipped up further along the legs a until they are stopped by the bends at the upper ends of the legs, the eyes a at such times slipping correspondinglyforward along the side bars b, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

With easels of this character, as will be readily seen, I can supply the merchant with an article capable of various uses, permitting him to display at one time an article of one sort and at another an article of a different character without necessitating an increase in his display apparatus.

In Figs. 7 to 10 I have shown a modified easel. In this case the element A has an upright part formed with the legs 1, 1 connected by the top cross bar 2, the bend S at the lower part of the legs 1, the arms 5 and the table engaging supports 6, the entire part being made of a single piece of wire. The element B has the side bars 7 which at their front ends are preferably turned up somewhat, as shown at 8, and formed with a cross connecting bar 9. The side bars 7 at their rear ends have eyes 10 which fit and are adapted to slide upon the side parts of the rear element A. One of the positions in which the elements can be placed is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Here the side bars 7 are in their lowest position, the eyes 10 being so placed as to engage with the loop parts 3 of the rear element A. The cross connecting part- 9 lies somewhat above the horizontal planes of the side bars 5 and serves as a means for preventing the front lower part of the dish or other article from slipping forward. When it is desired to support a dish or article of another shape or size the parts can be put in the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Here the eyes 10 at the rear ends of the side bars can be slipped up so that they will lie at the upper ends of the uprights or legs 1, and-when the parts are so related they are adapted to support and display articles of shapes or sizes differing from those which can be supported when the parts are related as in Figs. 7 and 8.

It will be seen that each of the main elements of the easel or holder between which the article to be displayed is held, is provided on each side with a movable union or connection that is adjustable along the side bar of the other element with which it engages, so that the elements of the easel are united on each side by two sliding connections, thereby insuring a rigid structure whatever bethe adjustment of the parts, and that the upward extending portion of the rear element against which the article rests is situated intermediate the two connections on each side.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. A display easel having in combination two elements, each formed of a piece of suitably bent wire between which the article to be displayed is held, one being a base element and the other a rear element having a rest portion extending upward from the base element, each of the said elements being provided on each side with a movable connection uniting it with the other, justable with reference to each other and are united by two connections on each side, the upward extending rest portion of the rear'element being intermediate the two connections at each side and the rear element being formed with intermediate bends arranged to constitute stops or rests with which the connections of the other element therewith engage to hold the parts securely in desired positions, substantially as set forth.

2. A display easel having in combination two elements, each formed of a piece of suitably bent wire, one being a base element by which the lower edge of the article is supported, and the other a rear element against which the article rests, each of the said elements being formed with intermediate bends and each being provided on each side with a movable connection uniting it with the other, whereby the elements are adjustable with reference to each other and are united by two connections on each side, the said intermediate bends constituting rests with which the said connections engage to hold the elements securely in different positions of adjustment, substantially as set forth.

3. An easel comprising in combination two elements, each formed of a single piece of bent wire, one element constituting a front support for the article having parallel sides, and the other having parallel sides and an upward extending rest constituting a rear support for the article, the said parallel sides and upward extending rest of the rear element being arranged at an angle to each other, the ends of the parallel sidesof the first element being looped about the sides of the upward extending rest of the second element and adjustable therealong, substantially as set forth.

A. An easel comprising in combination two elements, each formed of a single piece of bent wire, one element constituting a front support for the article having parallel sides, and the other having parallel sides and an upward extending rest constituting a rear support for the article, the said parallel sides and upward extending rest of the rear element being arranged at an angle to each other, the sides of the upward extending rest portion being formed with intermediate bends a and the ends of the parallel sides of the first element being looped about the sides of the upward extending rest of the second element and adjustable therealong, substantially as set forth.

5. An easel comprising in combination two elements, each formed of a single piece of bent wire, one element constituting a front support for the article having parallel sides and provided with front table rests, and the other having parallel sides and an upward extending rest eonstituting a rear support for the article and being formed with rear table rests, the said parallel sides and upward extending rest of the rear element being arranged at an angle to each other, the ends of the parallel sides of the first element being looped about the sides of the upward extending rest of the second element and adjustable therealong, and there being stops or rests for holding the elements of the easel securely, with reference to each other, in the different positions to which they may be adjusted.

6. A display easel having in combination two elements A and B, each formed of a single piece of wire, and each having a side bar on each side of the easel, the element A whereby they are a(l being formed with rear table rests and the element B with front table rests, and the side bars of the elements on each side of the easel being united with each other by two sliding connections, one of-said connections being carried by each bar, substantially as set forth.

7. A display easel having in combination two elements A and B, each formed of a single piece of wire, the element A having approximately vertical legs and approximately horizontal arms, and the element B having approximately horizontal arms with feet or table rests at their front ends, the arms of the element B having'a sliding union with the approximately horizontal arms of the element A and also a. sliding union with the approximately vertical arms of the element A.

8. A display easel having an element A in combination with an element B, the element A having vertical legs a connected together at the top, forward extending arms a, bends a and eyes a, and the element B having side bars I) connected together at their front ends, and passing through the eyes a, and having eyes b fitted to the vertical legs of the element A, substantially as set forth.

9. A display easel having an elementA in combination with an element B, the element A being formed with lower arms a legs a connected together at the top, bends a bars or arms a between the bends (t and the legs a, and the element B being joined by two sliding connections to the element A, one uniting it to the lower arms a and the other to the parts situated above the arms a, substafitially as described.

10. A display easel having an element A and an element B, the element A having legs a, a connecting loop a, forwardly extending side bars 0 and backwardly extending loops 0*, and the element B having side bars 0 connected together at the front and joined to the arms a of theelement A by a sliding connection, and also joined by a sliding connection to the parts of the element A situated above the arms a substantially as set forth.

11. A display easel having in combination elements A and B, the element B having side bars 1) formed with table engaging feet or rests b, and a cross bar 12 connecting the feet or rests and serving as a stop for the article on the easel, and the element A having approximately horizontal side parts a and vertical parts a, a, the elements A and B being united by sliding connections two on each side, substantially as set forth. I

12.- In a display easel, the combination of a rear element formed of wire having an upwardly extending back support for the article to be displayed, comprising uprights which at their lower ends extend rearwardly and downwardly to form table rests and then extend forwardly, and a front element formed of wire having parallel side bars arranged at their rear ends to engage with the downward and rearward extending portions of the rear element.

13. In a display easel, the combination of a rear element formed of wire having an upwardly extending back support for the article to be displayed, comprising uprights which at their lower ends extend rearwardly and downwardly to form table rests and then extend forwardly, and a front element formed of wire having parallel side bars with which the forward extending parts of the rear element engage by a sliding connection, and arranged at their rear ends to engage with the downward and rear ward extending portions of the rear element.

14. A display easel having two elements engaging adjustably with each other, each element having a connectionmaking device and a guide, the connection-making device of each element being adapted. to engage with the other element at any point along the guide thereof, the elements being so shaped that in some positions of adjustment the line of direction of one guide at the point of engagement with one connection making-device is at an angle with the line of direction of the other guide at its point of engagement with the other connection-making device.

15. A display easel having two elements engaging adjustably with each other, each element having a connection-making device and a guide, the,connection-making device of each element being adapted to engage with the other element at any point along the guide thereof, and the elements being so shaped that in some positions of adjustment the line of direction of one guide at the point of engagement with one connection-making device is at an angle with the line of direction of the other guide at its point of engagement with the other connection-n1aking device, one of said elements being rovided with means for fixing the union of the two elements in a position of adjustment.

16. A display easel having two elements engaging adjnstably with each other, each element having a connec tion-making device and a guide, the connection-making device of each element being adapted to engage with the other element at any point along the guide thereof, the guide of one of the elements having at some point along its length a change of direction.

17. A display easel having two elements engaging adjustably with each other, each element having a connection-Inaking device and a guide, the connection-making de vice of each element being adapted to engage with the other element at any point along the guide thereof one element being so shaped that a straight line from one end of 20 JAMES E. TWITCHELL.

Witnesses:

CLYDE I. WEBSTER, J. H. RUssnLL, Jr. 

